Vacuum-operated liquid-lifting device



Nov. 6,1928. 1,690,140

T, F. sPAcKMAN VACUUM OPERATED LIQUID LIFTING DEVICE Filed July 16, 1927 @www ' l1,690,140 PATENT OFFICE. I

THOMAS FREDERICK sPAcKMAn'oF CHICAGO, ILLINOIs'7 iAssIGNoR To YSmau/'Airfr- WARNER SPEEDOMETER CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .A CORPORATION OE VIRGINIA.

VACUUM-OPERATED LIQUID-LIF'TING nnvIOn.`

Application tiled July 1G,

The purposeof this invention is to lprovide an improved construction for lifting liquid by. suction induced by air flow through a Venturi-shaped passage, particu n arly adapted for such purpose as lifting fuel from a low source for supplying an internal vcomlnistion engine carburetor by gravity. It consists in the elementsV and features of construction shown and. described asA indicated in the claims.

In the drawings: y 1 Figure l is a top plan 4view of afuel re-A ceptacle equipped with a device embodying this invention for filling the receptacle with the liquid fluid derived fronra lower source bysuction.v y

Figure 2 is avertical section lof the same at the line 2 2 on Figure l.

Figure 3 is a section at the line 3 3 on `Figurel.`

Figure 4 is a top plan view of a modified form of the device.

Figure 5 is a sectionat the line 5-.5 `on Figure 4. Y f' Figure 6 is an axial section of the suction inducing Venturi member of the forms shown in Figures 4 and 5. l

The structure shown in the drawingsfis formed in detailgfor. mountind on a motor' vehicle Or the motor thereof for supplying the engine with fuel from af main supply tank which may belocated at the rear of the vehicle land atfa substantially lower level.`

than the carburetor towhich the fuel is sup-` plied by gravity flow from the receptacle indicated at A through which the fuel is led from a low level source, not shown, by a pipe, B, which is connected for discharge' through the capfof the receptacleas seen at b, and from which the fuel flows tothe carburetor, not shown, by pipe,C.l As illustrated, the receptacle,A, comprises two chambers A1 and .A2-A1 being the receiving chamber in which a partial vacuum 'Y is produced in the operation of the structure when connected as designed for the service indicated. The chamber, A2, is an accumulating chamber, or reservoir into which the fuel lifted by suction into the chamber, VA1', is discharged by gravity or undercertain conditions as e lhereinafter explained, by gravity plus super-atmospheric pressure, past the valve,"D,` which is opened inthe direction of such discharge by gravity or gravity flow of theliquid, or by the pressure 1927. seriarnofsoaeso.

indicated, Vthe! pipe, `@,which leads to theV carburetor being connected at the lower part of said chamber, A2. a

The receptacle, A,is closed at the top by a top plate or cap, E, to which the pipe, B, is connected for discharge of fuel into the chamber, A1, as mentioned. ii-transversely extending cxteriorly protruding boss, 20,

with which the cap plate,E, is provided has extending through its entire length a Venturishaped passage, 2l, 22, 23, of which the part, 21, constitutes the entrance part of the venturi and 23 is the discharge or delivery part, the Venturi construction being seen at22. A. slot, 25, which iscut trans# .f'ersely of the Venturi passage from the undei" side of the top, E, constitutes a co1n1nunication between the chamber, A1, and the Venturi passage. As shown and for the `specific `purposeV hereinafter indicated, this slot, 25, extendsentirely across the Venturi passage at a position'alittle distance from the Venturi constriction toward the entrance end of. the Venturi passage. F is a. nozzle exteriorly ta ered over a 4short distance toward its disc arge end, and diametered back of the tapered part for "fitting and 'being held snugly in the entrance part, 2l, of the Venturi passage antecedent to the slot, Desirably the taper vof the discharge end portion of the nozzle, F, corresponds ap pi'oxiinately to the taper of that part of the Venturi passage in which said tapered part of the nozzlel stands, the nozzle being enough -less in diameter than said tapered part of the Venturi passage to' leave `an annular speci-326m the Venturi passage all, around the tapered nozzle terminal.

With the construction described vit may be understood that upon i air flow being causedI through the Venturi passage, the lowering ofrpressure whichvwill result in the vicinityV of the Venturi constriction will cause relatively rapid air inflow throuffl'r the slot, 2=3`,tendingto produce 'a partial vacuuni Ain the chamber A1; and that upon` Asuch air flow through the venturi being arrested or cut off at any one point in the length of the Venturi passage, at either side of the slot, 25. or in the pipe leading to the Venturi passage from either direction, access being uninterrupted the other side of the slot, flow will take place through the annular space, 26, and the slotin the `chamber,A1,

tending` `to destroy" the-partial vacuum created therein by the previous iow through the Venturi passage. For interrupting and cutting oli' the air tiow through the Venturi air passage at a selected point as indicated, a shut-ott valve is provided in a bore, 30, which leads from the under side of the top, E, transversely of the Venturi passage at the opposite side of the constriction, QQ, from the slot, Q5, and as wide as the diameter of said passage at that point; and tting slidi'ngly in said slot there is provided a slide valve, 3Q, having a portion, hereinafter referred toas the stem, 3Q, extending down into the chamber, 1, for which stem there is provided toward its lower end, most conveniently at the vicinity of the tilisehargc port;` i9, a bearing, fil. for the further guidance of said stem, 3Q, in the sliding movement of the valve to open and close the Venturi passage. Qn this stem, 32, there is slidably mounted between an upper stop, 33, and a lower stop, 3l, a lioat, 35, which at a predetermined high level of the liquid in the chamber, A1, encounters the upper stop, 33, and as the liquid continues to rise, lifts the valve, 32, to posit-ion closing the Venturi passage and stopping the air tiow therethrough, thereby interrupting the action for withdrawing air from the chamber, A1, as by suction, which while it was in progress, produced a condition of partial vacuum in the chamber, A1; and thereupon the air which was entering at the entrance end of the Venturi passage, continuing to enter either under atmospheric pressure, when the air [low was produced by suction, (or under super-atmospheric pressure, which while t-he valve was open produced the air flow through the Venturi passage,) passing by the end of the nozzle, F, finds its way back around the nozzle tip and by way of the slot, 25, passes into the chamber, A, relieving the partial vacuum which was produced therein by the air flow through the venturi; and when the partial vacuum has by this means been relieved to a` degree at which the liquid can be delivered by gravity past the valve, D. the evacuation of the chamber of liquid will occur by gravity; and the float, 35, being lowered as the level of the liquid falls. eventually encounters the lower stop, 3G, and by its weight retracts downwardly the stem, 32, and valve, 32, opening the Venturi passage for air tlow therethrough which will cause the previous action for inducing suction to be repeated through the cycle of said action above described.

It will be evident that it is immaterial for the purpose of the vacuum-producing action above described whether the air tiow through the Venturi passage is caused by superatrnospheric pressure at the entrance end; or by sub-atmospheric pressure at the discharge end; and accordingly, when the device is employed for supplying fuel from a low source of the carburetor of an internal combustion engine, the operating connection may consist of connection at the discharge end of the Venturi passage to; the intake manifold of the engine, leaving the entrance end of the venturi open to atmosphere. (1)1' the operating connection may consist of connection of the entrance end to the engine exhaust passage; and the opposite end in such case being the discharge end, may be open tothe atmosphere, or connected to the intake manifold.

then the air f'low through the venturi is produced by suction, as when the structure is employed for fuel lifting h v connection of the Venturi passage with the intake manifold ot an engine served as above described, the condition of vacuum in the Venturi pasn sage beyond the valve, 3Q, may serve to hold the valve up until the ilo-at has fallen to the stop, 3l, as above described. But when the air flow is produced b v super-atmospheric pressure, as by connection with the engine exhaust for blowing through the Venturi passage, the suction means ot upholding the valve being absent, any suitable means may be substituted to prevent the valve from dropping until it is withdrawn by the iloat. A simple means for the purpose may consist, in making the stem, 32, hollow for lightness andV making the stop, 3G, of cork or the like of suitable size to balance by its buoyancy the weight of the stem.

This expedient is not without value. in the case olthe suction-produced air tiow to supplement the upholding power oi' the suction which may not always be adequate to uphold the valve when the latter has hecome loose fitting in the slot in which it slides for closing the Venturi air passage, so that air leakage past it, which would not otherwise interfere with the operation of the structure, would defeat the ul'iholding power of the suction.

In the drawings, Figure 5 illustrates a modification consisting in employing a snap action for producing quick and substantially instantaneous movement o1" the Venturi passage controlling valve both in opening and closing. For this purpose there are pivotcd at 100 to a lug, 101, which projects downwardly from, the under face of the cap, EE, two levers, 10Q and 105i, extending in opposite directions from their pivot-incommon at their medial position substantially horizontally across the chamber, A1, and having their opposite free ends provided with cross pins, i()J,-1.O t, whose corresponding ends at both .sides ot the levers are connected by stretched springs, 105-l05g so that as the levers are swung! to Carr-y the pins, 104, past a position ot alignment with the pivot-in-common of the levers, the re-action of the sl'irings tends to snap the levers further in the direction in itil) llt) lill] aecomo which they are movingas soon fas the pins 104 pass eaidgpositionxo'f alignment. The

valve stem,` 32, extends' through an aperture,`

` stem, 'liana the flottants pivotauyeonnected to saifd third `lever at the opposite i side of the link, 107, from lthe fullerum ot said "lever lso that theiloat" rising along f the stem to encounterwith a stop, 116, on said stem above `the fioat, swings said third-lever upand through the link, i107 and -moives the `ioat resulting from lowering the level of the liquid and itsv encounter with-the lower stop, 117, on the float'fguide stemythe latter is .pulleddwnward, producing lever action to Athe, contrary., ottliat'k above de; scribed, Acausing the downward snap faction of the leversby whichfthe A"lever, 102, fis

moved into `encounter with the lower stop,

112, on the valve stem and the valve isl thereby retracted to open` position; Y

In the ormshown inF'gures lp'and 5, the

suction-inducing Venturi passage vfor air flow is desirably formed ylinfa fitting, J, shownin Figure 6, which is drive fitted in a horizontal bore formed through the cap plate, EE, as may be understood from Figure 5, said fitting, J, being forced into place in the cap plate before forming in it a cross port at, j, which will be formed by drilling after the fitting, J is inplace to `ensureregistration with the previously existing port,

` 30", in the cap plate,EE.

To prevent the levers, 104 and 105, being snapped down too far and pulling the valve, 132, entirely out of itsseat and guideway in the top, E, there is provided a stop rod, 40, suspended from the top, E, at a point above the lever, 105, which has a hole, 105, tlirough which the stop rod, 40, extends, said rod having a `head,`41, at its lower end,

which head is ositioned by the length of 'the rod proper y for sto ping the down swing of the lever, 105. t will be understood that the top, E, is bored for the upper end of the stop rod, 40, and counterbored to afford access to the end of the stop rod after it is inserted up throught-he lever, 105, and

through said Abore. eInor'der itotoranuipon said upper-end Vof @the :stop rod ia .head iby which -itl may be suspended from fthe top yas mentioned, the upperiend of fthecounterv bore Ais threaded to receiviea closureplug,

45, after the parts .have ihecn assembled.

Vhen. this construction .is employed in' the` usual relationof` a ivacuumtanlr to a low level fuel supply .to `Sthe lengine .and lconnectionlo't l:the left-hand end of the venturi with theengine exhaust, in whichrase su per-atmospheric `pressure `will existin the vacuum! cham-ber :when i it fis' discharging ,-lintoV when the quantitypf yfuel pumped. exceeds the engine requlrementsnand consumption,

either `to -omitv or close-the usual atmosphere port-shown at 40, stlfor to provide access NIV for the super-atmospl-iericpressure 'from 4the Y vaculumkchamber Fto n the outer chamber and this lat-ter yexpedient 1s shown in Figure 2 consisting fof a port, L13, of .communication be,`

tween the` two chambers located'at the upper partabove the float-controlled high liquid level of the vacuum chamber `with a gravity ber is atmospheric and flow only occurring when itis sub-atmospheriqthe liquid can rise no higher in the outer chamber than the controlled `high -liquid level of the inner chamber.`

I claim n 1.fIn 'combination with a receptacle for liquid, 4a lfitting'amounted on the receptacle having extending" throughk it a V enturishaped passage adapted for connection at one end with means for inducing" air flow through the passage, 'and having between the entrance end and the Venturi constriction a lateral communication with the liquid chamber of the receptacle, a valve positioned for closing the Venturi passage without closing its communication with the liquid chamber, and means controlled by the liquid content of the chamber for opening and closing said valve. i

2. In the construction deiined-'in claim 1, the air flow inducing means being in connection witha source of suction and the valve being located between the Venturi end which is connected with such source of suction and the Venturi constriction.

3. In the construction defined in claim 1,

the air flow inducing means being in connection with a source of suction, and the valve being located between the suction source and the Venturi communication with the liquid chamber.

5. In the construction defined in claim l, the receptacle havingr connection for liquid iiow from a liquid source at a lower level,

and a. liquid outlet at the lower part. the

valve controlling said outlet adapted to be opened by gravity iiow of the liquid, the means for operating the valve in the Venturi passage being:T a float in the chamber, and the valve stem extending into the chamber tor engagement by the float for closing the valve at a predetermined high level of the liquid and for opening the valve at a predetermined low level ot the liquid.

(3. In combination with a. receptacle for liquidr` a iitting mounted on the receptacle having extending through ita Venturishaped passage adapted for connection at one end with means for inducing air tlow through the passage, and having` between the entrance end and the Venturi conatriction a communication with the liquid chamber of the receptaffle, a` valve positioned for closing the Venturi passage without closing its communication with the liquid chamber7 said valve having its etein mztendinefy into the liquid chamber. a lloat in said chamber positioned and guided for encounter with the valve stem for closing the valve at a predetermined high level of liquid in the chamber, said stem having also means for encounter with the tloat in a direction tor openingI the valve at a predetermined low level of the liquid.

7. ln a construction oiz the character indicated, in combination with a chamber connected for receiving liquid from va lower neealeo source, means :tor inducing partial 'aeuuin in Said chamber; ay valve which controls the vacuniii-inducing means, said means beine; adapted for venting the chamber by the ad mission ol' preleure to overcome the vacuum when said valve is positioned tor interruptin;r the vacuum-indueing action; means operated by change of liquid level in the fhaniber for actuating said valve to cani-:e such interruption at, a predetern'iined high liquid leveh and to terminate the interruption at a predetermined low liquid level,` a part in the connection for actuating the valve being extended in the liquid iu the chamber at the predetermined low level ot l@aid liquid and beinetermed and equipped at the part which ie submerged at said lov: liquid level for being buoyed b v the liquid to a substantially balanced condition subject to being actuated in either direction b v the valve-actuating means.

S. A device oi the character indi ated, comprising in combination with a fuel receptacle a iitting;r mounted on the reciuitaele having: a. Venturi .shaped passage adapted for connection at its oppoSite ends with regione o (littering iluid pressure. .Caid fittingr having a slot transverse to the Venturi passage openingr thereinto and also into the liquid chamber of the receptacle; and a tapered nozzle mounted in the Veniuri passage at the Side of the Venturi constriction toward the entrance end ot said passage protruding its tapered end across said slot spaced from the Wall of the passage and terminating lfor discharge through the constriction.

In testimoniY whereof. I have hereuntoieet my hand at Chicago, Illinois, this 8th day of July, 1927.

THOMAS FREDERCK SPACKMAN. 

